Conservative Orange City, Iowa To Host First LGBT Pride Festival
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | October 20, 2017
Orange City, a conservative city in northwest Iowa, will hold its first LGBT Pride festival this weekend.
The three-day OC Pride 2017 event starts Friday, Siouxland Public Media reported.
Planned activities include live music at the Town Square Coffee House on Friday, a showing of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, a 1995 comedy starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizano as three New York City drag queens heading to Hollywood, and a brunch on Sunday.
“Not to speak for all the gays, but brunch is an important part of our culture,” Mike Goll, one of four organizers, said with a laugh. “Or at least I think so. In building OC Pride, it was important that we have a Sunday brunch.”
Another organizer, Cody Bauer, acknowledged Sioux County's conservative views.
“If what we do here in Orange City gives one kid in this area hope – if it gives one kid in this area a little spark in their mind that may help them understand that they are okay, they don't have to be somebody else, you're okay being who you are – any and all backlash that comes with it will be totally worth it,” Bauer said.
On its Facebook page, the Sioux County Conservatives described the event as a “festival celebrating sin.”
“Pride is bringing family together,” Goll said. “Pride is being welcome. Pride is love.”